Compacter



COMPAGTOR Filed Feb. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS ATTORNEYSWITNESS I 3e 23, 1942. w. B. BOYD ETAL COMPACTOR Filed Feb. 20, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 2 $62; INVENTORS a flank i 6% I ATTbRNEYs Patented June 23,1942 COMPACTER Wilmer B. Boyd and Frank L. Carpenter, Lincoln, Nebr.

Application February 20, 1940, Serial No. 319,959

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a compacter for use in the compaction of soilstabilized surfaces, clay stabilized surfaces, soil cement stabilizedsurfaces, earth fills and earth embankments.

In the compaction of cement and clay stabilized surfaces and in thecompaction of earth fills and embankments certain sections of thematerial will compact or set more rapidly than others. The only methodof securing compaction of the softer sections is by rolling or kneadingthe material to bring the moisture to the surface where it passes off byevaporation. When a conventional compacter having roller wheels on arigid axle is used, the rolling action never reaches the portion of theroadway containing the soft material because of the bridging action ofthe wheels on either side of the soft section. When the material isbeing spread and later when the surface is being shaped, a conventionalcompacter will raise up on windrows of excess material that are in theroadway and throw all the weight of the roller on one or two wheelscausing abnormal and damaging weight on the one or two wheels carryingthe load. In

use a conventional compacter jumps and chatters when rolling. at highspeed or the roller passes over some object or excess material in theroadway.

With the above in mind the present invention provides an individualspring action for each wheel to permit any wheel reaching the portion ofthe roadway containing the soft material since the independent springaction of the wheels permits one or more of the wheels being forced downagainst the soft section to cause the soft section to set up or hardenfaster, without disturbing the remaining wheels, the independent springaction further providing complete and practical operation in the rollingof shoulders and edges of stabilized surfaces or roadways since it ispossible to roll any or all portions of the shoulder and edge by lettingone or more of the wheels roll down on the edge, while the other wheelsare kept on the roadway, a further advantage of the individual springaction of each wheel being to maintain proper and equal loaddistribution on each individual wheel so that they roller will not jumpor chatter when rolling at high speed or when the roller passes oversome object or excess material in the roadway.

A further object of the invention is to provide individual axleassemblies of the wheels to promote quick and easy removal of any wheelby loosening only two nuts, one on either side of the wheel yoke.

A further object is to, provide a device of this character which will beformed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inex-'within the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In. the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a compacter constructed in accordancewith the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the compacter taken on theline 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the compacter.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the independent springaction of each wheel.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure 2 showing the slots and nuts detachably mounting each wheel.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, the compacter comprises aframe including longitudinal bars l0 and end bars I I, these bars beingformed of channel metal, top and bottom plates l2 and I3 secured to thebars, and transversely disposed I-beams l4 connecting the longitudinalbars near the front of the frame to provide a firm support for the balland socket joint of the dirigible front wheeled member of the compacter.

A ballast box I5 is supported by the frame substantially midway betweenthe ends thereof and is supported in a low position to prevent swayingof the box at higher speeds. The box is provided in the bottom with anopening l6 which is closed by a cover l'l, bolted as shown at l8, orotherwise secured to the box. Ballast may be dumped from the box throughthe open- I-beams 2| are disposed in spaced relation to each other andto the longitudinal frame.

The rear wall 22 of the ballast box is inclined bars III of thedownwardly and forwardly. Three triangular bracket plates 23 projectrearwardly from the rear wall 22, two of these plates being disposed atthe ends of the wall and one of these plates being disposed at thecenter of the wall, as best shown in Figure 3. A pivot shaft 24 iscarried by the bracket plates 23 and extends transversely of the lowerend of the ballast box to pivotally mount the individual forks ofrespective compacting wheels as will now be described.

Each fork comprises a sleeve 25 which is loosely mounted on the pivotshaft 24. A pair of bars 26 are fixed at the front ends to the sleeveand extend rearwardly to a point underneath the rear bar H of the frame.The bars are connected together at their rear ends by a saddle plate 21of inverted U-shape, the side flanges 28 of the saddle plate extendingdownwardly along the outer faces of the bars 26 and being boltedthereto, as shown at 29.

As best shown in Figure 5, a pair of transversely aligned slots 30 areformed in the bottom 26 and open through the bottom of the bars. Theseslots receive the spindle 3| of a conventional automobile wheel 32 orother wheel. A pair of nuts 33 are threaded onto the ends of the spindleand abut the outer faces of the bars 26 to secure the wheel to the bars.When the nuts are loosened, the wheel may be dropped out of thesupporting fork through the slots 38.

Each wheel supporting fork is yieldably suspended at the rear end fromthe frame and for this purpose an I-beam 34, provided with reinforcingwebs 35, as shown in Figure 3, is secured to the rear ends of thelongitudinal bars I and rear ends of the reinforcing I-beams 2|. TheI-beam 34 is provided on the bottom face with interiorly threaded bosses36, one above each saddle plate 21, and the respective saddle plate isprovided with a tubular boss 37, best shown in Figure 4. The saddleplate is provided with an opening 38 which registers with the boss.

The independent spring suspension for each wheel comprises a guide rod39 provided at one end with screw threads 40 to permit the rod beingthreaded into the upper boss 36 of the respective wheel. The rod is ofsufllcient length to extend loosely through the lower tubular boss 31and opening 38 and at the bottom is provided with a stop collar 4| whichis adapted to engage enemas the saddle plate 21 and limit downwardmovement of the wheel under urge of a helical spring 42 which is sleevedupon the rod 39 and seated on the superposed bosses 36 and 31 when thewheel drops into soft material.

The front end of the frame of the compacter is supported by dirigiblefront wheels, each having its respective pivoted yoke or fork and springsuspension. The front wheel assembly comprises a housing including a topwall 43, a vertical front wall 44 and triangular side walls 45. A

draft bar 46 is pivotally secured at the lower end to the front wallthrough the medium of a pivot pin 41 engaged in a bearing 48. A bracebar 49 is pivotally secured at the upper end to the top of the frontwheel by a pivot pin 68 and is adjustably secured to the draftbar by apin 5| which is interchangeably received in openings 52 formed in thedraft bar to accommodate the draft bar to any make of tractor.

For mounting the front wheels on the housing a pivot shaft 53 is engagedthrough the triangular side walls 45 at the bottom of the front ends,and extends parallel with the front-wall 44. Each individulal wheel 64,likewise of the automobile type, or any othertype, is carried by arespective fork or yoke comprising side bars 55,'best shown in Figure 1,.which are secured at the front ends to a respective sleeve 68 which isloosely mounted on the pivot shaft 68. The rear ends of the bars 66 areconnected by. a saddle plate 61. The bars are provided centrally withslots 68 which open through the bottom edges of the bars'and receive thespindle 69 of the wheel 54. Nuts 60 are threaded onto the ends of thespindle and abut the bars 65 to removably secure the wheel to the yoke.The spring suspension of each wheel is similar to the spring suspensionof each rear wheel, above described, and comprises a helical spring 6|which is sleeved upon a guide rod 62. The guide rod is threaded at theupper end into a boss 63 which depends from the top plate 43 and isslantably engaged through a tubular guide boss 64 which is carried bythe saddle plate 21. Thus each wheel may yield upwardly and downwardlyindependently of the other wheels to compact soft material.

A ball and socket joint 65 has one member thereof secured to the bottomplate i3 between the I-beams l4 and has the other member thereof securedto the top plate l2 of the housing at about the "center thereof. Thisball and socket joint permits the front wheel assembly being easilyswung underneath the front end of the frame to make sharp turns whendesired.

In operation the compacter is pulled by a tractor, truck, or othersuitable means of traction, at any desired speed. During progress of thecompacter each of the front wheels and each of the rear wheels willyield independently of the other. front wheels and other rear wheels,upwardly and downwardly, to compact soft sections of the surface beingtreated.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the invention will be fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a compacter the combination with a frame, and a ballast boxsuspended intermediate the ends of the frame, of a rear compacter wheelassembly comprising bracket members projecting rearwardly from theballast box, a pivot shaft carried by the bracket members extendingtransversely of and below the frame, a plurality of forks pivotallysecured to the shaft and extending rearwardly to a point underneath therear end of the frame, a saddle-plate on top of the rear end of eachfork, a compacter wheel journalled for rotation in each fork between thesaddle plate and the pivot shaft, there being an elongated opening ineach saddle plate, a respective rod for each fork rigidly secured at theupper end to the frame and slidably projecting through the elongatedopening in the saddle plate of the fork, a helical compression springsleeved on each rod between the frame and saddle plate, and a stopcollar on each rod engageable with the underneath face of the saddleplate to limit downward movement of the fork and respective compacterwheel under action of said spring when the compacter wheel encounters asoft section of a roadbed.

2. In a compacter, the combination with a weighted frame, of a frontcompacter wheel assembly comprising a housing underneath the front endof the frame including top, front and side walls, a draft means securedto the front wall, a universal joint connecting the top wall to thefront end of the frame, a pivot shaft carried by the side wallsextending transversely of and below the frame, a plurality of forkspivotally secured to the shaft and extending rearwardly to a pointunderneath the rear end of the top wall, a saddle plate on top of therear end of each fork, a compacter wheel journalled for rotation in eachfork between the saddle plate and the pivot shaft, there being anelongated opening in each saddle plate, a respective rod for each forkrigidly secured at the upper end to the top wall and slidable verticallythrough the elongated opening in the saddle plate of the fork, a helicalcompression spring sleeved on each rod between the top wall and thesaddle plate, and a stop collar on each rod engageable with theunderneath face of the saddle plate to limit downward movement'of thefork and respective compacter wheel under action of the respectivespring when the compacter wheel encounters a 10 soft section of theroadbed.

